I'm reading "The Grass Crown" by Colleen McCullough and in it she presents a story arc involving Gaius Marius the younger murdering his superior officer (and then Roman Consul), Lucius Porcius Cato, in order to save their army from defeat at the hands of the Marsi at the Battle of Fucine Lake. He's brought up on charges in the field by the new commanding officer, Cinna, and his father comes to his aid. A convenient fatal "accident" to the only eyewitness causes the charges to be dropped.
I know it's historical fiction, but does this help to jog anyone's memory on the matter?